07/12/2017
Writer and performer Sandie Eldridge closes the tour of The Unknown Soldier with her thoughts...
"Driving on the other side of the road is taking some getting used to, the enormous and I mean enormous trucks that journey up and down the freeways continually causing me to catch my breath and mutter internal words of comfort. But I never would have dreamed that one day I would drive down a freeway in America playing Bruce Springsteen, ‘Saint in the City’ full bore, on my way to perform in a play, and one that I had written? !!!!!"
So begun the diary entry November 15th 2017.
Touring The Unknown Soldier was quite simply an extraordinary experience, filled with moments like the above, that really were so ridiculously joyful. The cultural differences were constantly surprising but also enlightening and I learnt a lot and felt (still feel) such tremendous gratitude. What an experience, to do what you love and travel and be supported all the way. As we were by team Monkey Baa back home in Australia and our agents, the brilliant Holden’s.
We performed in some truly beautiful theatre such as The Folly Theatre in Kansas City, opened in 1900. We played on thrust stages, in prosceniums and enormous amazing spaces that seated 900 young people per show. We were joined on stage in post performance Q&A’s by veterans who kindly gave their time and courageously told their stories. The feedback was amazing with one standing ovation, and the post show comment that just moved me to tears, a 11 year old boy, who stood and yelled out in a thick Southern accent, “I want youse to all know, youse did a great play!”
Having performed and directed a small amount overseas before, what was once again re-enforced was how close our community of theatre is, no matter where you are. We speak the same language, (OK a few terms are different Bump In/Out are greeted with peals of laughter) but wherever we performed the crew, venue presenters, education managers, fellow creative attending all greeted one another with like mind: we are all passionate about what we do: we love the theatre.
I can’t thank the team at Monkey Baa, the Holden’s and my fellow touring adventurers, actor Felix Johnson and Stage Manager/extraordinaire Sam Johnson and all wonderful people who supported and believed in the play.
November 18th 2017 As an actor and a writer this really was a dream come true.
The 2017 USA tour of The Unknown Soldier covered 7,752km and 18 states, performing in 9 theatres, to 6,138 young people.
